Filling and bunging apparatus



(No Model!) 4 Shets-Sheefll.

M. WARREN.

FILLING AND BUNGING APPARATUS.

Nd. 554,806. Patented Feb 18, 1896.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. WARREN. FILLING AND BUNGING APPARATUS.

K6155 1306. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

M. WARREN. FILLING AND BUNGING APPARATUS.

. No. 554,806. v Patented 1 613.18, 1896.

i N V ENTO R flan on fi ure/w WITNESS ES: 0k JAM afmw UNrTEn STATES MARION WVARREN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FILLING AND BUNGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 554,806, dated February 18, 1896.

pp c filed February 1, 1895'. Serial No. 586,954. (No model.)

To all whonc it may cm wern:

Be it known that I, MARION WARREN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Filling and Bunging Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide apparatus for filling packages with liquid and bunging the same expeditiously and securely, the same being especially adapted for the treatment of carbonated beverages, such as lager-beer, which by means of my improved apparatus I am enabled to place in the trade or selling package without material loss of gas or pressure.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel arrangement and combinations of mechanism and parts, which will be herein fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, on the line w m, Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section showing the filling-tube inserted in the package. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the bung in position to be driven; and Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the valves M, N, and 0.

Similar reference-characters are employed to designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In said drawings, A represents the package which is to be filled with the liquid. This, as shown, is a trade-package (such as a keg or barrel) in which the liquid is to be delivered to the customer. An apertured plate B (which I have hereinafter referred to as a sealing-plate, because when held against the package A it closes communication therewith, except through the aperture in said plate) is firmly secured to and supported by the yoked arm 0, which is arranged to slide freely in and out in the frame D. This sliding movement of the arm 0 is limited by the stop 01, which is carried by the frame D and pro j ects into the slot 0 in the arm 0. The frame D is arranged to swing freely around the rod E, and also to slide up and down thereon. The rod E is firmly secured to any suitable support, such as F. The rod E carries the adjustable collar 6, which is grooved to receive the inner end of the lever d, pivoted at d to the frame D. Arack d is also secured to the frame D, and a pawl d is arranged to engage therewith. Said pawl is provided with a hook 01 which when the lever is raised will engage with the projection d on the rack (1 A gasket Z) is secured to the under side of the sealing-plate B, surrounding the aperture b formed therein. The upper side of the plate B is channeled to receive the sliding block G, which is held in place by the flanges b bolted to said plate. The meeting surfaces of the block and plate are finished smooth and true, forming a gas and liquid tight joint, while permitting the block to slide back and forth in the recess in the plate. Said block G is provided with two apertures, each extending completelythrough the same. These apertures are in longitudinal alignment, and are arranged to register respectively with the aperture in the plate B, according to the position of the block G relatively to said plate.

A lever g is pivoted at one side of the plate B, and is connected by a link g with the block G, so that either aperture in block G may be brought into registry with the aperture in plateB by raising or lowering said lever, as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5.

Within the rear or right-hand aperture, Fig. 4c, in the block G is secured the filling apparatus, which consists of a sliding central tube H of sufficient length to extend nearly to the bottom of the package to be filled. The lower end of the tube is closed, except for the perforations therein. To the upper end of the tube is secured the hollow fitting h, to which the filling-hose h is coupled. The fitting h is formed to embrace the guide I (to be presently more fully described) and is provided with handles 77.2 by which the tube may be raised from the package, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and lowered into it, as shown in Fig. 4. The tube II is carried by the chambered casingJ, which forms the body or head of the filling apparatus, and which contains the annular chamber 5', the lower end of which is provided with a series of perforationsj. This annular chamber j is provided with an outlet j to which the discharge-hose j is coupled. The filling apparatus is firmly secured in the sliding block G by the cap j, which fits over a flange on the exterior of the casing J and screws down over the boss surrounding the filling-tube aperture. The upper end of the casing J is provided with a stufiing-box consisting of the packingj, follower-j, and cap to prevent leakage, while permitting the tube II to slide vertically in the casing. The other aperture in the block G is intended to support the bung and guide the same and the bung-driver while the bung is being driven. The bungdriving apparatus consists of a vertically-reciprocable plunger K, formed with a crosshead 75, which projects into and through the slotted guideways It formed in the standards 762 secured on each side of the block G. The projecting ends of the cross-head 7c are journaled, outside the standards 75?, in the arms of the forked lever I1, and the ends of said arms are journaled in blocks 1, which slide in the guide-channels Z, formed in the standards 1H carried by the arm 0. The guide I previously referred to is supported by a yoke '5, carried by the standards 75 L1 This guide is T-shaped in cross-section, and the flange i is loosely embraced by the projection 71 on the fitting 72 At its upper end the flange t" is thickened slightly, so that when the filling-tube II is raised to the position shown in Fig. 1. it will be held by the \V()( ging action of said flange with suflicient firmness to maintain it in position. A rod projects from the rear end of the block G and passes through the curved portion of the forked arm 0 and carries nuts on each side of the arm G, by which the movement of the block G in the plate 13 is limited, so that the bunging and filling apertures in said block will register with the aperture in the plate 1-3, the one at the inner and the other at the outer limit of the movement of said block.

Communication through the filling-hose 7L from the supply-hose M with which it is connected is controlled by the valve M, and communieation through the discharge-hose] to the return-pipe N is controlled by the valve N. A by-pass 0 fromv the supply-hose M to the return-pipe N is provided and communication therethrough is controlled by the valve 0. The valves M, N, and O are provided with levers which are connected with a common handle P, by means of which the valves may all be operated simultaneously. Said valves are so arranged and adjusted that the movement of the lever I in one direction will open the supply and discharge valves M and N and close the by-pass valve 0, and its movement in the opposite direction will close the valves M and N and open the by-pass valve 0. Said valves and their connections are supported by the bracket (Z which is scoured to the frame D, so as to move therewith. Observation-glasses m and n are suitably placed to permit the operator to watch the flow through the pipes, and suit-able gages, cocks, and fittings are provided where required.

Having now described the construction of my improved apparatus, I will proceed to explain its operation in carrying out an improved process of preparing beer and similar carbonated beverages for consumption,which I hereinbelow describe, and which 1 have also described and illustrated in my pending application for United States Letters Patent, filed August 9, 1894., Serial No. 519,804, although, as will hereinafter appear, I do not intend to confine or limit this invention to use in that connection.

In carrying out my said process the supply hose M, Fig. 1, is connected with the pipe leading from the carbonator, and the return-pipe N is connected with the pipe leading to the carbonator, either directly or through an. intermediate eireulating-chamber. The packageA (which for the purposes of this descrip tion Iwill call a keg) having been placed in position is filled with flat or uncarbonated beer. The frame D and the sliding arm (3 are then adjusted so as to bring the aperture b in plate 13 directly over the open bun g-hole of the keg. The lever d is then pressed firmly down, bringing the gasket 1) on the under side of the plate B against the top of the keg around the bung-hole, thus hermetically closing the keg to the atmosphere. The plate I will be held securely in this position by the engagement of the pawl cl" with the rack (P, as shown in Fig. 1. The filling-tube II is then lowered until its lower end is in proximity to the bottom of the keg, as shown in Fig. et. The valves M N, which have thus far been closed, are opened by the movement of the handle P, the bypass valve 0 being closed by the same movement of the said handle. The beer from. the earbonating apparatus, properly charged for consumption, will thus flow into the lower part of the keg through hose Ill, valve M, hose 7L, and filling-tube II, and the fiat beer with which the keg was filled will be drawn out of the keg through the chamber], outlet dischar e-hose valve N and return- )i )e 7 P) J7 N 011 its way to the earbonating apparatus.

hen the flat beer has been entirely replaced by the carbonated beer in this way, (which the observation-glass it enables the operatorto determine readily,) the valve-handle I is returned to its former position, closing the valves M N and opening the bypass valve 0, through which the circulation of the earbonating system is maintained while the valves M N are closed. The filling-tube II is then raised into the position shown in Fig. 1. A wooden bung a is placed in the bungaperture in block G. The plunger K is forced. down by the lever I1, and the bung, which fits the aperture in block G tightly, is driven part way through it. The lever g is then raised,pushing the block Gback over the plate B until the bung-aperture is directly over the bung-hole of the keg, as shown in Fig. 5, when the movement of the block will be arrested by the stop 9 The lever L is then depressed, driving the bung through the apertures in block G and plate 13 securely into the bung-hole of the keg. The pawl dis then released from the rack (1 the lever d is raised until the hook 61 engages with the projection (1 and the entire apparatus is thus suspended clear of the keg ready to be swung over to the next keg, which has in the meantime been filled with flat beer. The operation just described is then repeated.

In adjusting the apparatus in position over a keg the plunger K may be permitted to proj ect below the bottom of the plate B, thus facilitating the centering of the apparatus. It will be noted that the keg A is hermetically sealed or closed to the atmosphere from the instant'the plate B is first brought down over the bung-hole, all subsequent operations, in

cluding the bunging, being performed withthe keg so closed.

Another capacity in which my improved apparatus may be advantageously employed is in filling trade-packages with beer from" the chip casks which has not been artificially carbonated. This operation is known to brewers as racking, and with my apparatus the trade-package or keg, as I have herein called it, may be filled and bungedunder pressure rapidly and perfectly.

In employing my apparatus for racking and bunging, the bypass O is not employed, and I disconnect the lever of valve 0 (leaving the valve closed) from the handle P, said handle and lever being made removable for this purpose. I also arrange and adjust the valves M N so that the valve N will have a slight lead over the valve M in opening. In racking under pressure the keg is filled with gas or air under a pressure somewhat less than the pressure on the chip-cask, and

. the beer is forced from the chip-cask into the keg, driving the air or gas back into its reservoir as the keg fills. In using my apparatus for this purpose the hose from the chip cask is connected with supply-hose M, and a connection with the reservoir containing gas or air under pressure is made through pipe N. lVith the plate B properly adjusted and clamped over the bung-hole, as shown in Fig. 1, the valve-handle P is turned first, (by reason of its lead,) opening valve N, which causes the air or gas from the reservoir to fill the keg, the pressure therein being substantially the same as in the reservoir. As the movement of the handle P is continued, the valve 1V opens, and the beer from the chipcask will enter the keg A through the fillingtube H, driving the gas or air back into the reservoir as the keg fills. When the keg is filled, (as shown by the observation-glass 02,) the valves M N are closed, and the bung is driven in the manner last described. The apparatus is then placed over another keg, and the operation is repeated.

It is obvious that my apparatus may, by simply changing the size of its parts, be advantageously employed in filling bottles.

One of the advantages possessed by my apparatus which will be highly appreciated by practical brewers is the opportunity it affords the brewer to insert in the keg, without any release of pressure, the chemicals which are necessarily employed in some cases to preserve beer which is to be shipped long distances. These are usually inserted through the bung-hole of the keg in the form of cartridges. With my apparatus the cartridge may be placed in the bung-aperture under the bung and when the block G is shifted to bring the bung into position for driving, the cartridge will drop into the barrel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a filling and bunging apparatus, the combination of an apertured sealing-plate adjustable relatively to the package, a movable block provided with a filling-tube and a bung-aperture and held toward the sealingplate so as to hermetically close the aperture therein while the block is shifted from filling to bunging position, and means for shifting said block, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an apparatus for filling a receptacle with beer or other liquid, the combination of an adjustable apertured sealingplate, a block held to slide thereon provided with an aperture to hold the bung, a filling-tube, and a bun g-driver carried by said block, and means for shifting said block to bring either the bung-driver or the filling-tube over the aperture in the sealing-plate, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a filling and bunging apparatus, the combination of an adjustable arm or support, an apertured sealing-plate carried thereby and movable therewith, a block held to slide on the sealing-plate and provided with an aperture to hold the bung, a filling-tube carried by said block, and means for shifting said block to bring either the bun g-aperture or the fillingtube over the aperture in the sealingplate, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In an apparatus for filling a receptacle with beer or other liquid, the combination of a sealing-plate, a sliding block held thereto and carrying a filling-tube and a bung-driver, an adjustable arm to which the sealing-plate is secured, a lever for exerting a downward pressure on said arm, and means for securing said arm in position, substantially as shown and described.

MARION \VARREN.

Witnesses:

S. G. MErcALr, F. B. PACKARD. 

